Lib Dems get backing for budget amendment to help tackle poverty

An Isle of Wight Council fund which can help to reduce poverty will get priority for replenishment after an amendment proposed by the council’s Liberal Democrat Group was accepted at the budget setting meeting of the full council on 27 February 2025.

Lib Dem council group leader, Andrew Garratt, says:

"The amendment gives priority to replenishing the Community Capacity & Resilience Fund when the council considers how to allocate any increase in government funding or additional savings.

"The Lib Dem group welcomed the setting up of this fund by the Alliance administration in last year’s budget.

"We believe keeping this fund topped-up can particularly help the council deliver on the recently adopted Poverty Reduction Strategy.

“So we are delighted that the council will now give the fund priority for replenishment.”

Lib Dem councillor Michael Lilley, who has long campaigned on poverty reduction, explains:

“The council faces increasing financial pressures due to more vulnerable residents of all ages needing the support of children’s and adult social care services.

“Investment in stronger prevention strategies is needed to reduce these negative outcomes.

“The Community Capacity and Resilience Fund is one tool in which we can place a stronger emphasis on achieving this.

“The Island has examples of excellent work done by organisations such as Pan Together and West Wight Sports and Community Centre. These provide models for projects that an ongoing fund could help set up and support our most deprived geographical deprived areas and disadvantaged communities of interest such as victims of domestic abuse and those experiencing mental health issues.

“We would particularly welcome the use of the fund as match funding in partnership with housing associations, Town, Parish and Community Councils, and the voluntary sector.”
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For those interested in the technical side the amendment achieves its aim by adding to recommendation 21(b) the words in bold below:

“Any variation arising from the Local Government Finance Settlement 2025/26 or any further savings made in 2024/25 arising at the year-end (after allowing for specific carry forward requests) be transferred to the Revenue Reserve for Capital, Transformation Reserve, and General Reserves with the level of each transfer to be determined by the S.151 Officer; any sums determined to be transferred to the Revenue Reserve for Capital to be used in the first instance to restore the Community Capacity & Resilience Fund to an annual budget for 2025/26 of £250,000.”